The New Museum

My daughters and I had a blast yesterday touring the spanking New Museum with Debbie, who had snagged us four tickets for a prime slot during the Target-sponsored, free-admission, grand-opening weekend. And while we all agreed that the art inside was a bit of a bust (with a few notable exceptions), the museum itself is a huge success, we thought: cleverly designed, filled with small surprises, nice wide-open galleries, an excellent addition to the neighborhood in particular, and to the City as a whole.

The building makes for a dramatic, dynamic terminus to Prince Street, and is best seen by that approach (rather than coming up or down Bowery). And its shape—all precarious, piled-up-rectangles—also, as Nicolai Ouroussoff helpfully articulated in the Times, fits neatly in with the ramshackle tenements of different heights and stones that flank it on either side. The LED signage above the doorway is bright and welcoming, and though we wished they hadn't put the aluminum mesh that covers the entire exterior over the windows as well (a bit penitentiarial, no?), we all agreed that this truly is a beautiful building. Thankfully, the "Hell, Yes!" piece is temporary (a rainbow? really?), and will be replaced by something hopefully fresher soon. Anyway, here's some more thoughts and pictures from our visit...

By far our favorite art work inside was Black-on-White, Grey Ascending by Young-Hae Chang Heavy Industries, seven video screens relating a story I couldn't catch (apparently it involves a kidnapping), all told in typography and a bossa-nova soundtrack, overlaid at times with a voice reading from one of the screens. This resides within a sound-proof glass enclosure at the lobby's eastern end, and will be there through March 23.


The main exhibition, Unmonumental, is a group show of recent work "exploring the reinvention of sculptural assemblage." Many of these pieces, spread out across all three floors of the museum's primary exhibit space, were fun to look at, and some were undeniably creative and engaging, but it also all felt a bit silly to me. The sculptural medium did show the museum's wide-open galleries to their full advantage, however (we liked the concrete floors, skylights, and lack of support columns; according to Debbie, however, the ceilings felt "a little too Macy's"). On January 16, a series of giant collages will be placed on the walls, surrounding the current pieces, and the whole thing will run through March 23.


We loved the museum's huge, surprisingly bright green elevator, and its skinny little neighbor next door.


The snack bar toward the back of the lobby, sadly, wasn't yet open, so we couldn't sample the unbelievably intriguing-sounding Cheese Puffs.


This narrow back staircase separating the third and second floors features a serendipitous little nook about halfway down, home on this day to an audio work.


The undulating gift shop, right smack in the lobby, is enclosed by the same aluminum mesh as the building itself.


Downstairs there's a terrific theater, now showing an hilarious (and insanely irritating) POV film of an artist being barked at—and, eventually, attacked—by a pack of dogs.


Also downstairs: the extravagantly tiled bathroom, complete with recessed high-blast hand dryer. The women's is a much less fabulous blue.


On the seventh floor on opening weekend (and presumably not beyond, but you never know): FREE CANDY! Target knows how to throw a logo-heavy party, and this island of free M&Ms, gumballs, jelly bellies, fireballs and other treats provoked giddy grins and shrieks of delight in just about everyone... not an easy feat with this downtown, art-going crowd.


The candy may not be there anymore, but the spectacular three-sided view of the Lower East Side makes an elevator ride to the top a must.


The New Museum is located on the Bowery between Rivington and Stanton Streets, at the easternmost end of Prince Street. The museum is open from Noon until 6:00 on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday, and until an excellently late 10:00pm on Friday and Saturday; it's closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Admission is $12, students $6, 18-and-under free.

Skating the Pond at Bryant Park 2007

My winter-wonderlandian daughters and I were up-and-at-'em yesterday morning for a lovely skate at the recently reopened Pond at Bryant Park. Now in its third year, this pretty, large, efficiently-run rink has become a great annual addition to our holiday-season rounds. We love the somewhat incongruous setting, amidst the midtown towers and librarial columns; we love the skates (especially as compared to the lace-up rentals we remember from Lasker Rink); we love the cookies and coffee during the Zamboni break.

We arrived at around 10:15, and there was virtually no line, though the ice got progressively more crowded as the morning wore on. Even so, I never felt anything but exhilarated to be flying around the ice, or taking a break in the sun and skater-watching for a bit. And Bo and Co were like machines, going non-stop for almost two hours, minus the Zamboni time. All three of us agree: this is a highly recommended holiday activity.

The Pond at Bryant Park is located on 42nd Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. Skating is free, skate rentals are $10 (up $2 from last year!). Remember: bring your own lock for your shoe/purse locker (or buy one there for another $10), and don't bring a large bag, or you'll have to check it for $7. Hours are 7 am (!) to 10:00 pm, and until midnight on weekends. When you're finished, and you're famished, DON'T eat at the snack bar; instead get a meatloaf, cheddar and bacon sandwich from the park's 'wichcraft kiosk.

The Cyclone / Astroland at Coney Island

Scoboco finally made it out to Coney Island this weekend—we've gone at least once a season for a good number of years now—prodded into taking that long subway ride by the promise of a sand sculpture competition. And while the artistry on the beach was a good deal less than inspiring (see below), it was definitely an excellent excuse to say goodbye to Astroland (soon to fall before the developer's dozers), and, most exciting, for Bo's maiden voyage on the legendary Cyclone.

Now, I'm no real Cyclone veteran either, having ridden the great clackety beast only once before. But what a joy to share the experience with my beautiful daughter, screaming and laughing and holding on for dear life (none of that insane "hands in the air" stuff in our car!) as we hurtled 60 mph up and down the old (circa 1927) wooden tracks. Unbelievably loud, unbelievably adrenalizing, unbelievably fun. Co, by the way, would have none of it, and happily watched us from across the street.

We also walked through Astroland proper, and laughed at the kiddie rides that once seemed so daring, at the goofy haunted house which we had giggled our way through a couple of years ago, at management's hilarious attempts to class the joint up a little...

And, of course, Bo and Co had to take their traditional Water Flume plunge which, they admitted, gets a little less thrilling every summer.

As for the sand castle/sculpture competition, an annual affair, and sponsored this year by the very developers who are soon going to rip it all down,* well... lets just say that it all kind of seemed as tired and forlorn as its environs. Here's a few pictures:

Apparently this guy wins every year...



...and this guy always comes in second.

This was my favorite, created by two teenagers who stumbled upon the contest that morning. I especially appreciated the caption. (Just outside of the image: the turtle is about to eat a fish.)

The development's construction union sent a representative, who went to town with dry ice and working train tracks, all seemingly set in some sort of mad prehistoric landscape.

The Cyclone and Astroland are located at the end of the D, F, N and Q lines. The D train takes about 45 minutes from 59th Street in Manhattan. Cyclone rides are $6, and you can immediately re-ride for only $4 more. There was no line to get on when we went, at around 4:30 in the afternoon.

* For better or worse, who's to say? New York City has always been about commerce and change, and a lot of the things we love today had to have replaced something else. If it's done well, it'll be great; if it's lame, it'll be lame.

Hudson

Now, I'm not much of a drinking man... and, frankly, neither are Bo and Co. But last week the three of us found ourselves in the high west-50s with some time to kill, so I thought it'd be fun to goof around in the bar(s) at the Hudson Hotel for a bit, and show my lovely daughters all of the daring, silly, eccentric—and, to us, extremely appealing—design spread out through the five or so rooms adjoining the lobby. And I was right. It was fun.

When you enter Hudson from the street (by the way, that torch you see to the right of the front doorway above is usually lit with an impressively dangerous-looking flame) you find yourself in a cramped space. Take the escalator up one flight to the lobby (pictured below). Bo and Co couldn't help but smile at the huge crystal chandelier amidst from the vine-covered brick and skylights. Are we inside? Outside? Does it matter?

Behind you is our favorite room, a disarming and thoroughly engaging combination of rustic and contemporary, rough-hewn wood and slick acrylic, ornate stylings and clean lines. The floor is futuristic (circa Clockwork Orange-era) underlit plastic; the close ceiling covered with a pastoral, cray-pas-y mural. It's totally crazy, it totally works.


I've seen this log bench at various design shows (in front of Sotheby's, I think, and at something in London), but never before in place. It's unexpectedly comfy, and we loved the way it worked in the room.


Down the hall to the left of the front desk is the "library/ cows-with-hats/ pool table" room. Read, low, play, drink.


Then it's out onto the patio—no surprise, the most happening spot on this nice summer's evening—all done up in brick and greenery and various Alice-in-Wonderland touches.



If you feel like eating, the indoor dining room is highlighted by a large open kitchen framed by people on fire, and these big communal tables, at which one lucky person gets to be Queen.


Hudson is located on 58th Street between Eighth and Ninth Avenues. It is a full-service hotel, but I know nothing about rooms or rates. I also have no idea if the food is any good. The bars seem to me like a fun spot for a first or third date... or to bring an out-of-town visitor... or a cool place to go if YOU are an out-of-town visitor.... or if you just feel like goofing around with your friends. Or daughters.

Skating The Pond at Bryant Park

I know I wrote about this last year, but in case you're looking for things to do over the holidays (with or without kids), ice skating at The Pond at Bryant Park remains an excellent option.

Though I'm sure it gets mobbed (it's free, it's Christmastime, it's New York City), when Scoboco got there around 11:45 today there was no line... and, in fact, they were just about done Zamboni-ing the ice for the 12:00 - 1:30 skate, and we had a blast. The rink is pretty big, much larger than Lasker or Rockefeller Center; the rental skates are decent quality, which for us just means that they fit well—no achy ankles or blisters—and are easy to put on; the music is appropriately festive; and the setting striking, with all those big 42nd Street buildings and the columnal rear facade of the library presiding over things. AND the chocolate chip cookies and rice krispie treats at the snack bar are surprisingly delicious.

Though admission is free, skate rentals are $8, which is fine, but I definitely recommend bringing your own lock, if you have (to avoid buying one for $10), and NOT bringing a bag, which they make you check, for $6.50. The Pond will be open until January 15. There's more info, and a webcam, here.

Top of the Rock

A crew of Scoboco's cousins came into town from North Carolina last weekend, so we finally had an excuse to ascend the 71 stories to the top of 30 Rockefeller Center.

It was, in a word, breathtaking. The day was beautiful, the crowds sparse—there was no line at all when we went in, at 10:30 Marathon-weekend-Saturday morning—and our beloved home looked absolutely spectacular.

It's not cheap, to see the city from this high up: Top of the Rock costs $14 for an adult (which is less expensive than the $18 they charge down at the Empire State Building... and they can't see Central Park!). They do try to make it seem more like an "event" with a silly photo op and cheesy movie, but really, it's all about the view, which is stunning, especially from the third upper deck, where no plexiglass stands between you and a thousand miles in all directions.

BREAKING: Massive, horrifying, fiery accident in the Village

TRICK!!

Yeah, sorry. Will Smith and company's been shooting some sort of NYC-post-apocalypse movie on Washington Square North for a few weeks now, with interiors in one of those historic homes overlooking the park, and all kinds of bleak, charred chaos going on outside. I was walking by yesterday during what can only be called the "car wreck" scene.

And for your TREAT, please see below.

And have fun tonight.

what i would do this weekend...

...if i could be three places at once.

the new harry potter. we got our tickets on tuesday for a saturday late afternoon show. yes, that may a little extreme in the planning department, but friday night's shows at the regal in union square were all sold out as of thursday afternoon...

weird performance art by gelatin. ok, this could be a total miss, but i'd like to see how these guys, sealed in their "machine," would replicate a concept like, say... "it is what it is,"or a smell like cilantro. bonus: the same artists put a giant pink bunny on a hill in italy, and are leaving it there for 20 years. UPDATE: a friend of mine called me today and said this was great. he saw someone put an old clock in the machine and, a little while later, out came a new, funky clock (they got their old clock back, too). and he reminded me it's going on 24 hours a day until wednesday.

bodyvox does "civilization unplugged" at the joyce theater. i can't say i know too much about this, except it looks cool and high-energy and multi-media and there's one dance in which the audience uses their cell phones. UPDATE: this got a terrible review in the times today.

cut and paste design competition. finally! graphic designers get their own "iron chef"! yup, the eight carefully selected contestants go head to head with 15 minutes to come up with a design that "best exemplifies a theme, with the materials and tools provided," both on G5s and "analog" supplies like sharpies, fabric and "found objects." this is an elimination tournament going on saturday night the 19th at 10pm down in tribeca. to me? sounds goofy and filled with loud (heckling?) spectators and totally fun. (ps: dglass would have kicked some serious design-y ass in this sucker. next year, babe. just wait till next year.)

sights and ice and cheese. another thing i'd like to do this sunny weekend but no way do we have time, except for the cheese part: go to top of the rock, the recently reopened observation deck atop rockefeller center, and nicely covered by gothamist, here; go skating at the new bryant park rink (i walked by a couple of weeks ago and it looked big and fun and not too crowded.. but that was before thanksgiving-to-new years tourist season really kicked in); go grilled-cheese-eating at "say cheese," discussed here last friday, but yet to be tried.

also still-to-be-done: ps1, calatrava at the met, and canstruction (ends saturday!)... man it's great to live in this town.

but if you don't feel like going out, you could always stay home and stare at these all weekend! (thanks mug.)